Man on Panama-bound flight arrested

After a week and half of turmoil in skies, Friday a Sunwing passenger jet had to turn around and go back to Pearson airport with a military escort after a passenger threatened to blow up the plane.

It was a terrifying start to what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. P

Peel regional police stormed Sunwing Flight 7-72 shortly after it was forced to return to pearson airport, just two hours after take-off.

It was bound for Panama City when according to the airline, a passenger who has been identified as 25 year old Ali Shahi became agitated.

He tore up magazines and tried to tear the window shade off.

When he told the crew he wanted to blow up the plane the pilot launched the emergency response plan.

The plane, carrying 183 passengers and six crew members, was escorted back to toronto by two u-s military jets.

Upon arrival, the tactical unit searched Shahi and the plane but did not find any thing that would have let him carry out his threat.

Earlier today a woman claiming to be travelling with Shahi on the flight turned up at CHCH News. While she wouldn’t go on camera she did say she was taken by police off the plane and into a holding cell, but was subsequently released.

Shahi remains in custody.

He is charged with uttering threats and endangering the safety of an aircraft.

He’s due to appear in a Brampton court for a bail hearing tomorrow.

Sunwing says the other passengers took a different flight to Panama City later Friday afternoon.